Ashen Roses
by Vintages
Summary: Ash and Brock return to Hoenn for the Lilycove Festival while May tries to keep her relationship with Drew under wraps.


**Ashen Roses **

"Blaziken, use Fire Spin! Squirtle, you know what to do," May called out while gesticulating at the stadium in front. In the tranquil evening, she and her Pokemon were using her father's gym to practice a few contest moves.

After her trip to Sinnoh, nothing was the same anymore. Pressure caved in from everywhere for her to do well. Her initially supportive father, Norman, now repeatedly stressed for her to shine again at contests. Harley, a great enemy of hers, had performed at many contests, threatening to overtake her as Top Coordinator. And Max, her brother, now an outstanding Pokemon Trainer, didn't really help in assuring that she was still a fantastic coordinator.

Sometimes, May felt like throwing in the towel.

Flames shot out of Blaziken's mouth, and bubbles erupted from Squirtle's lips. The two elements interceded, causing a beautiful array of sparkles. It was May's famous Fire and Water Whirlwind combination that took breaths away.

May reached for her Pokeblock case, wanting to reward her Pokemon for the fantastic display. She expected both her Pokemon to dive forward to grab Pokeblocks off from her hand, but Blaziken and Squirtle strut off to the door instead.

"May?" came an alluringly soothing voice.

Instantly, she recognized it.

"Drew!" she called out elatedly. The teenager with green hair and dazzling eyes smiled and stepped forward. Squirtle proceeded to tackle him on his leg and Blaziken gave him a bro-fist.

From behind him, Drew presented May with yet another rose from the many he had already given to her.

May felt her cheeks grow hot. Sheepishly she accepted the gift. Before she noticed what was happening, Drew reached forward and kissed her.

In surprise, May let the rose fall from her hands. May liked the tangy feeling of his lips, the addictive taste of Drew and bliss, the way he let her fall slowly and guided her through every part of his lips. The way everything felt so right, so smooth, so…

Blaziken and Squirtle smile.

There was some noise at the door. Wary, May pulled back.

Max appeared, with his nerdy glasses and his signature green shirt that Mum had sewn for him years ago. May and Drew exchanged glances, lucky that they weren't caught.

"May! May! Look who's here! Come out quick!" Max hopped around excitedly, grabbing May's hand and pulling her out. After five years, Max was still as immature as ever. He might be knowledgeable about Pokemon, but he wasn't as informed in manners.

He then noticed Drew. "Oh, hello, Drew! How was Johto? Oh, never mind May, come follow me!"

May shrugged at Drew. She withdrew Blaziken and Squirtle back into their Poke balls, and went out of the stadium with her little brother. Drew tagged along behind.

Standing in front of the Petalburg Gym were two faintly familiar boys. One had extremely tan skin, a tall build and slits for eyes Brock Harrison. The other had ebony black hair, a look of anticipation and the distinct Pikachu sitting on his shoulder Ash Ketchum.

Both of the boys smiled. Ash lunged forward and hugged May in a friendly manner while Pikachu hopped onto May's bandana. Brock laughed. He ruffled Max's hair and said, "Hey, May and Drew!"

Drew smiled back and nodded. His gaze lingered on Ash's embrace with May.

"Ash! Brock! You're finally back." May was elated. Ash let go of her. After five long, grueling years, Ash and Brock were finally back to Hoenn to visit. May was eager to know how they were doing, although everyone already knew how Ash had successfully conquered the Pokemon League and was now a travelling Pokemon Master.

"I still remember that old wooden look of Petalburg Gym, last I was here," Ash remarked while frowning at the new metallic walls in place. Pikachu called out in agreement.

"Ash and I came back to Hoenn to visit you," Brock explained. "Although that's not the only reason. The organisers of the Lilycove Festival have invited us over too. Well, let's find some place to catch up with one another."

May looked at Drew, who was standing awkwardly next to the four of them. She piped up and suggested, "What are we standing here for? Let's go to a nearby restaurant, have dinner and start chitchatting!" Everyone agreed.

While May was locking up the gym, Brock flipped through pages of his Hoenn guidebook and suggested the Old Sin Restaurant in the nearby Rustboro City.

As the group started walking, May and Drew lagged behind. Drew reached out and grabbed May's hand, and that was how they stayed for the rest of the journey.

_an hour later_

The five of them were seated at a table near a window overlooking the whole of Rustboro City. Evening had comfortably settled in. Lights from streetlamps and other buildings illuminated the dark city sky.

Since Drew personally knew the restaurant owner, he had asked for a great table with most of the signature dishes. Various delicacies littered the table. There were boiled Goldeen, chopped berries and fried seaweed.

"So, how's Brock the Top Pokemon Breeder?" Halfway through the meal, May smiled and asked teasingly.

Brock snorted. "It's nothing new from what I've been doing taking care of Pokemon, coming up with new recipes and the like. I'm not even the top anyway."

"Well, Brock's been accepted into the University of Celadon. You know, the one that's well-known for producing top band breeders," Ash piped in. Max and May gasped.

Brock smiled. "I found out that Erika teaches there. You know, the Celadon gym leader? The very pretty one?"

There was a beam of red light as one of Brock's Pokemon emerged from his Poke ball. Croagunk came out and with a fist that was flashing purple, he used poison jab on Brock. Max also went over to pull Brock by the ear.

"Oh, Brock, you're so embarrassing sometimes!" May sighed in good humor. She and Ash started teasing him about getting a girlfriend and his repeated failures.

Drew couldn't help but feel so left out in their conversations. He did not know whatever was going on in their talk. Nobody bothered to include him, anyway. With his fork he stabbed sullenly at his Tauros steak.

Just then, a familiar figure started walking over effeminately. The five of them looked up in surprise. Harley, May's most despised rival, was standing nearby, beaming as if he had just struck the lottery. He was clad in green all over, the signature costume of his beloved Cacturne. His distinct purple hair in many thick ponytails had remained unchanged over the years.

The table fell silent as Harley approached them.

"Why, hello everyone!" he started cooing. "Wow, isn't it Ash, the Pokemon Master, and Brock, the Top Breeder?" It was hard to tell whether he was sarcastic or sincerely overjoyed to see them again. "Fancy seeing you all here. I always thought you preferred camping outdoors and barbequeing berries for food, but it seems like you have a sweet tooth for delicacies as such, no?"

Nobody replied. Ash and Brock had to refrain from rolling their eyes. Max was just infuriated, assuming that Harley had not changed in the past five years and was still as cunning as ever. Of course, several of the nasty things Harley had done to Max were still etched in his mind.

May shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

Drew cleared his throat to try to clear the awkward air. "Harley, we were having a pleasant dinner here without you. Can you please leave? We don't need you to taunt us or May now."

"Fancy that!" Harley laughed. "Claiming that I taunt my little gingerbread cookie. Since my presence isn't much appreciated, I perhaps should leave now?"

Max glared at Harley. The latter pouted and left.

"What a disruption to our dinner," Brock remarked. Silently, everyone tucked in again.

After most of the dishes were cleared, everyone felt fuller than May's Snorlax after a pink surprise Pokeblock. Ash insisted on footing the bill. He went over to the counter to queue while Drew made small talk with the restaurant owner. Brock, Max and May stood outside the restaurant, admiring the vast, picturesque view of Rustboro City while chatting about breeding Pokemon.

Just then, May felt a tug on her arm. Before she could react, she was whisked away behind a wall.

"Why, hello May," the easily recognizable voice cooed.

"Harley! What are you Harley clasped a hand over May's mouth and tried to hush her. He used his other arm to restrain her.

"Sugarcomb, keep your voice down. Your darling little friends might hear."

She fidgeted and struggled against Harley's grasp. "All the more," she retorted.

"I hear you're participating in the next Grand Festival?" He let go of May and asked.

"Of course I am. I don't see why this concerns you. Besides, you're probably thinking up of another plan to sabotage me again."

Harley stiffened. "You remember?"

"Of course I remember. You told everyone about my embarrassing Tentacool story the one that my mother tried to catch me with a Poke ball because she thought I was a Tentacool too? You told everyone. You tried to ruin me just so you could win a stupid contest."

"I…" Harley sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go overboard."

"But you did. 'Sorry' doesn't change anything."

"I teased and taunted you only because I liked you."

"What, even when you gave me 'advice' about Skitty using Assist, trying to make me lose the contest? Even when you had 'mistakenly' told me to use my Hoenn pass to compete? Amazing, Harley, simply amazing," May spat.

Harley blinked back surprise.

"I don't see what Solidad sees in you," May remarked on his relationship with another coordinator, Solidad. "You are a pathetic monster and nothing will change that."

"I _am_ pathetic," Harley sighed again and said. "Pathetically in love with you."

Harley turned around and walked away. May was stunned, but certain this was yet another ploy to punch holes in her confidence for the Lilycove Festival.

May heard someone call out her name. Drew rushed next to her, and saw Harley stalking off. He frowned and squeezed her hand. They then walked back to the gang.

_3 days later _

"Hey, May, want to battle?" Ash asked while fishing along Route 104. Max and Brock were swimming in the sea nearby. May was eating barbequed Tentacruel meat on a stick that Drew had bought for her.

It was a lazy Saturday, and the gang was hanging out at the beach before Petalburg Woods. Drew was running errands for Professor Birch and would join them later.

"No, thank you, but I don't want to battle the Pokemon Master."

Ash rolled his eyes but smiled. "Seriously though. You're the Top Coordinator, I'm the Pokemon Master, what's there to talk about? You're probably just scared of losing to me anyway."

May pouted indignantly. "Of course not! Well, let's have a double battle, 2 on 2."

Ash agreed immediately. He called for Brock to be the referee. Brock said he would be looking from the waters.

Ash and May made us of the vast space on the coastline for their battlefield. Brock nudged Max and told him to look at how he judged. Max stopped swimming and paid attention. Brock called for both sides to let their Pokemon out.

"Charizard, Krookodile, I choose you!" Ash called. He threw two Poke balls into the field. Charizard roared and flew around the beach. Krookodile cried out and stood next to Ash. Ash patted Krookodile on his head.

May smiled. "Munchlax, Flareon, take the stage!" she sang. Flareon was a gift from Drew. Drew had given May another Eevee egg, on which after hatching she used a Fire Stone to evolve into Flareon.

Flareon stood proudly next to May, who stroked his furry head. Munchlax lay across the ground, lazy as always.

"Let the battle begin!" Brock declared.

Ash started first. "Krookodile, ride on Charizard. Charizard, fly towards Munchlax and use Steel Wing! Krookodile, use Stone Edge on Flareon!"

Krookodile hopped onto Charizard, who, at lightning speed, flew towards Munchlax. Charizard's wings turned into white while shards of stone followed behind his tail.

May started screaming orders at her Pokemon too. "Flareon, resist the stone shards with Toxic at all of them! Munchlax, use Focus Punch on Charizard's wings!" Dark violet liquid shot out of Flareon's mouth at the stone shards, effectively absorbing their impact.

Flareon then shot poison at Charizard's wings. Charizard flapped and flapped them, trying to maintain the metal wings, but the toxic poison weakened them. He grew purple all over, a sign of being poisoned. Munchlax hopped onto Flareon's tail, his arm glowing white. Flareon flung Munchlax towards Charizard. Munchlax punched Charizard's wings with immense power.

"Incredible," Brock gasped with amazement. Ash widened his eyes in disbelief.

"She _is_ my sister, after all," Max beamed.

Ash grinned. "Charizard, use Dragon Breath around Flareon and Munchlax! Krookodile, jump off of Charizard and use Dig!"

"Why Dragon Breath, instead of Flamethrower, since Charizard has Same Type Attack Bonus on it?" Max asked.

"Wait and see," Brock replied.

Charizard exhaled thick, greenish gusts from his mouth, towards the sand around Flareon and Munchlax. Sand was whipped up all around. Neither Munchlax nor Flareon could see past the clouds. It was akin to using Sand Attack, except Charizard did not waste time in flying towards the ground and scratching it.

Meanwhile, Krookodile dove into the ground. He then rose up into the sandstorm and struck Flareon, who fell onto the ground, injured. He then dove back into the sand and emerged, charging at Munchlax. Krookodile repeated this over and over at a great speed.

"Wow, Ash _is_ smart," Max breathed.

"He is, after all, the Pokemon Master," Brock replied.

May felt sweat drip down her forehead. It was difficult to evade Krookodile's strikes because of his speed and his startling accuracy too. "Flareon, keep on jumping! Use Flamethrower everywhere! Munchlax, stand behind Flareon and use Metronome!" May could only cross her fingers and hope for the best that Metronome would select something effective towards Krookodile's Digs.

Flames shot out from Flareon's mouth, covering a range of area in front of him. Munchlax waggled both his index fingers until they started to glow. Many more copies of Munchlax were formed all around, stretching until outside the sandstorm that was brewing. Krookodile found them confusing and did not know which one to strike.

More and more moves were summoned as the battle turned even more heated. Krookodile was using another Stone Edge on Flareon while Munchlax summoned Metronome again. Metronome selected Psychic, and Muchlax had sent the stone shards flying towards Charizard. It was altogether a very fascinating battle.

In the end, Ash still emerged as the winner after Krookodile knocked Flareon out with repetitive Stone Edges and Charizard had used Flamethrower to burn the daylights out of Munchlax. However, both of Ash's Pokemon had almost fainted before the battle ended.

"Both Flareon and Munchlax are unable to battle. The winner is Ash!"

Brock congratulated Ash on his win while praising May for a fantastic showcase of moves and unity between her two Pokemon. Max hugged May and said she was amazing. May smiled at Ash, who smiled back. Brock and Max returned to the sea to swim, with Ash joining them.

Moments later, Drew appeared running towards May. Drew immediately hugged May, who almost pushed him away in case any of the other boys had seen them.

Drew smiled. "What have I missed?"

May smiled back. "Just a battle with Ash, that's all. I lost."

"Well, he isn't called the Pokemon Master for nothing! Let's go swim now." Drew took off his shirt to reveal a ripple of muscles all over his skin. Those were nothing May had not seen before.

May went behind a rock to change. She came out in a stunning pink bikini. Drew pecked her on the cheek before they ran towards the sea and jumped in to swim.

_a week later_

It was the annual Lilycove Festival, held by the Lilycove Department Store, the Safari Zone, Lilycove Museum and the Lilycove Contest Hall. The Lilycove Festival was held to connect all sorts of people together trainers, coordinators, breeders and the like through various events.

Travelling circuses would perform at the Lilycove Contest Hall, and several frontier brains from the Battle Frontier would come in and accept challenges from random trainers. Some coordinators would hold contest appeals and battles too. Pokemon breeders would hold talks or demonstrations, or even hold sales of some of the Pokemon they have bred. Some painters would even paint pictures of people who coughed up enough money. Fans Berry Masters would attend the festival just so that they could purchase a whole diversity of berries from the Berry Stand.

The gang had taken the S.S. Tidal from Slateport City to reach Lilycove in time. Brock was holding a talk with the breeders with Max helping out while May and Drew had been requested to perform. Ash was the guest of honor after being the newly crowned Pokemon Master.

After alighting from the ferry, the gang bid farewell to one another and went their own ways. Brock, Max and Ash expressed regret at being unable to witness May and Drew's contest appeals. They promised to meet outside the contest hall at seven. Brock and Max headed for the Pokemon breeding hallrooms in the Lilycove Department Store while a few ushers instantly appeared to bring Ash around Lilycove.

May and Drew went to the contest hall. Instead of the usual pink metallic frame, the contest hall was decked out in deep blue cloth with gold at its edges, giving it the look of a gypsy tent. Inside, there were multitudes of visitors seated amongst the audience. May and Drew proceeded to the holding area for coordinators.

"You looked really cute in your bikini, you know," Drew remarked out of the blue while pecking May on the cheek. "I should bring you swimming more often."

May made a face. "You pervert!" she exclaimed good-naturedly. "Wasn't that a week ago?"

Drew tucked a lock of brown behind her ear. He then whispered, "I remember everything about you, May." May loved the sweet scent of roses that he left behind, lingering next to her.

There were many other well-known coordinators present in the holding room. May and Drew spotted Solidad, and they immediately went over to talk to her. After she left to change into her contest attire, May found Dawn, from Sinnoh, cluelessly lurking in the hallways. Elated, she went over to talk to Dawn.

"Hey, Dawn! Do you remember me?" May said. "I'm May, and I visited you the last time you were with Ash."

Dawn stared at May for a while before realization struck her. "Oh! Hello May!" She proceeded to hug May.

"Drew, this is Dawn, from Sinnoh. She's a friend of Ash," May introduced. "Dawn, this is Drew, my…boyfriend."

Dawn immediately started cooing. "Oh, really! You two are so cute together!"

May blushed. "Haha, thank you! Did you know that Ash and Brock are back in Hoenn for the festival too?"

Dawn squealed. "This is fabulous!" May and Dawn started chitchatting even more about contests and their Pokemon. Afterwards, they proceeded to the dressing room to change into their contest costumes. Drew also went to change into his costume when he spotted Harley.

Harley was initially surprised that Drew was present, but he feigned nonchalance. He raised a brow at Drew before he entered a dressing room himself.

There were fifteen minutes left to the start of the contests after most of the coordinators had changed into their attires. Drew was in a dazzling, handsome white tuxedo with a black ribbon while May was in her signature Arabic princess costume, with long bloomers and a veil with an emerald stuck on it. Dawn was in her Turtwig Fantasy outfit, with a top hat and a purple tuxedo. Her hair was in a ponytail.

The mistress of ceremonies, Vivian Meridian, was clad in a baby blue dress with long white gloves and sparkling chandelier earrings. The color of her dress brought out her stunning orange hair.

"Welcome, welcome everybody, to the Lilycove Festival!" The audience erupted into deafening cheers. She gave a brief introduction to the Festival, along with a brief history. Then, she invited the first two contestants up. "Let the best perform first Dawn from Twinleaf Town and May from Littleroot Town!"

Dawn and May entered from different doors. They smiled at each other, and at the audience. Dawn sent out her Pokemon first. "Mamoswine and Piplup, spotlight!" Mamoswine came out of his Poke ball with snowflakes erupting all around him. Piplup emerged with musical notes all around.

It was May's turn to showcase her Pokemon too. "Blaziken and Beautifly, take the stage!" Blaziken emerged in a curled-up position, flames shooting out from the Poke ball as well. He opened up and did a somersault. The audience roared with approval. Beautifly fluttered out, sparkles all around him, and he flew all around Blaziken.

"Let the battle begin!" Vivian cried out.

"Mamoswine, Ancient Power all around! Piplup, Bubble into the rocks!" Dawn commanded. Bits of rock flew into the sky and bubbles pierced into them, twinkling as they disappeared, causing the rock to be damp. The rocks flew straight at Blaziken and Beautifly. The display cost May some points.

"Blaziken, dodge it and jump onto Mamoswine! Then use Blaze Kick! Beautifly, counter it with Silver Wind! Assist Blaziken with Psychic!" May retaliated.

Back in the holding room, Drew wondered why May made Beautifly use Silver Wind instead of Psychic to directly counter the rocks. He could almost hear May's voice explaining that Silver Wind would cause a better appeal because of the sparkles that would form when the wind crashed into the rocks.

Beautifly flapped his wings repeatedly, causing a brew of powdery dust to hit the rocks. It appeared impossible, but the sparkles overpowered the rocks. Points were deducted from Dawn's side. The rocks hit right back at Mamoswine, who was too slow to dodge it. Piplup hopped away from the rocks. Even more points were lost.

Blaziken jumped onto Mamoswine and attacked him with a kick of fire. Before the ice-type melted from his touch, Dawn yelled, "Use Ice Armor, quick!" Mamoswine shot an Ice Shard at himself, swallowing it, and instantly spikes of ice appeared. May lost points like Mamoswine grew spikes.

Blaziken pierced into the spikes of ice, some of which the Blaze Kick had melted, some of which stabbed into his skin. Blaziken roared. May lost even more points.

"Ow," both Drew and May exclaim at the same time.

Dawn and May came up with even more combinations as the battle progressed. When the clock ticked to half a minute left, Dawn had a fraction more points than May.

At the ten-second mark, Beautifly squeezed in an Aerial Ace on Piplup, knocking him out.

The audience burst into cheers. Dawn withdrew Piplup and Mamoswine disappointedly. She smiled at May, thanking her for a great game. Vivian announced May as the winner and the audience howled with approval.

The two girls returned to the holding room. Solidad went over to congratulate May on her win.

There were plasma TV screens with live footage of the current round. Drew went up in the fourth turn, with his Roserade and Absol. His opponent was, surprisingly, Harley, who was as usual using his Cacturne and Octillery.

Drew's Roserade wowed the audience with an amazing display of Petal Dance; pink petals emerged from Roserade's roses and invaded the atmosphere above. The petals fluttered all about, and then they dove towards Octillery and Cacturne. Absol used Razor Wind through the petals, cutting through some of them, while causing some of the petals to hit Octillery and Cacturne even harder.

Octillery retaliated with a super effective Fire Blast at Roserade while Cacturne danced around the petals and used Bullet Seed on most of them, effectively making them disappear with sparkles.

In the end, none of their Pokemon was knocked out. Drew won by a tiny bit more points than Harley.

The two of them returned to the holding area. Drew was beaming from ear to ear. He sat next to May on the couch, holding her hand as he did always. Harley noticed and stiffened a little. He chose to stand against a wall far from everyone else, especially Solidad.

The TV screens then showed footage of Ash battling Dome Ace Tucker. They were using rental Pokemon from the Safari Zone, who were untrained and uncaught. It was not only a test of battling ability; it was also a test on the trainers' ability to connect and bond with new Pokemon they had not seen before. Tucker was using a Geodude while Ash was using a Xatu. Ash was winning despite the type disadvantage.

Geodude used Rock Throw, smashing the ground and using the rocks obtained to throw at Xatu. In retaliation, Xatu used Omnious Wind at the rocks. Gusts of purple wind crashed into the rocks, and as the breeze grew stronger, the rocks attacked Geodude instead. This, along with many other moves that Xatu had used, caused Geodude to faint, winning a victory for Ash.

After this display, the coordinators were invited back out on stage for the finishing credits. Vivian thanked the judges, Nurse Joy, Contest Judge Dexter and Mr. Contesta. Then, the audience was dismissed along with the coordinators.

May and Drew made their way to outside the Contest Hall, trying to find Ash, Brock and Max. Brock and Max were already nearby at the Berry Stand, buying Colbur and Charti berries to mix into Pokeblocks. May and Drew joined them, buying berries of their own. Ash then appeared.

The gang, fatigued, agreed that they should head to their motel rooms. May was sharing a room with Max while Ash, Brock and Drew were sharing another. They had booked online earlier for connecting rooms. Wearily they made their way to the Cove Lily Motel.

_an hour later_

After a quick rest, Max suggested that they visit the Lilycove Beach. "We're going to go back early morning tomorrow, so why don't we go enjoy the nighttime beach now?"

Drew and Ash were too lazy to move from their beds, and May was tired. However, Brock checked his Hoenn guidebook and said that the Lilycove Beach had attractive beach bars and cheap supper buffets. Both Drew and Ash were attracted by the prospect of food. They agreed to tag along.

May stayed behind. At first, Drew was reluctant to leave May alone behind, but May convinced Drew that all she needed was a bit more rest. She told him to buy some of her favorite barbequed Tentacruel meat, and convinced him that her Pokemon were all the company she needed.

After a while, May went out to sit on the bench in the balcony. Stars twinkled against the carpet of dark blue. Flocks of Wingull flying over Lilycove City chirped while hoardes of Walrein roared from Route 124.

She could see Brock, Max and Drew strolling towards North Lilycove. For some reason, Ash was not there with them. She called out to them and waved. They waved back. Slowly, they continued sauntering, fading away into the darkness and away from view.

There was the sound of keys being jiggled in the connected room. May sent Blaziken out, thinking that there was a thief trying to break in. When Ash appeared, she withdrew Blaziken.

"Hey," Ash said as he walked into his room.

"Why are you back here?" May asked. "Aren't you going off with them?"

"Relax, May! I'm not here to check on you or anything. I merely forgot my Poke balls and wanted to get them," Ash said. Pikachu hopped over to the television in his room and turned it on.

He went over to the balcony to join May. "Nice view you have here."

They stood in silence for a minute.

"You did really well in your battle today," May said.

"So did you, in your contest," Ash replied.

"How did you know?"

"They had screenings at our holding room."

They both looked out over the vast sea.

Ash broke the silence. "So… Drew's your boyfriend huh."

"You guessed?"

"I guessed. He's been sticking around so often lately."

There was an awkwardness that clogged up the air in between Ash and May.

"Well, I hear you and Misty are together."

Ash smiled and nodded.

"What about Dawn?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've seen how she looks at you those eyes, so full of desire. She's always weird around you, you know? And the way she treats you. It's obvious she likes you."

"Things change over time, May. Dawn is just a friend. Really good friend. I treat her like my sister. She's nice and everything, but she just isn't for me. Besides, she's with Barry now."

"I've heard about your Unova friend too Irene or some sort?"

"Iris. Well, she's a friend, not as close as I am with Dawn, but I can tell she doesn't like me. Cilan, probably."

"Cilan?"

"He's like the Brock of Unova."

"Oh."

Awkwardness hung in the air again. Ash went back to his room. He browsed through many of his things in his haversack before retrieving his sketchbook. Misty's special lure, a lure with Misty's face for fishing Pokemon, hung from the sketchbook's coil.

He walked back to the balcony. Standing next to May, he flipped it open and scanned through the pages. There were many sketches of Misty in various poses.

"You're a great artist, Ash," May remarked in a teasing voice. "I thought you were only good at battling."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Ash laughed while still flipping through the pages.

"This is my personal sketchbook. I draw from time to time."

He stopped flipping through pages. He had reached the page he wanted.

There was a sketch of a pretty girl with large eyes staring back. Her hair was parted, and she had a bandana on her head. A sweet smile stuck on her face and a look of innocence sparkled in the paper. Ash had drawn May.

"Wow," May breathed, stunned by how detailed his drawing was of her and how intimately pretty each stroke of the pencil was.

Ash had planted a kiss on May's lips before she could react any further.

Before May could comprehend what was happening, she kissed him back.

It was a completely different experience from kissing Drew. For one, there just wasn't the smell of Drew. There was the smell of pine and Oran berries. Plus, Ash's lips felt so cracking, so dry, so in need of love. There was a distinct taste, though the taste of need.

For another, this just didn't feel right.

May pulled away.

"I'm sorry," Ash said. "It was the spur of the moment kind of thing."

May was shocked that Ash had actually kissed her. She was even more stunned that she had kissed back. Her legs had turned into Tentacool's tentacales. They were out kissing in the balcony, in the open what if someone had seen?

May bit her lips. Ash smiled.

"You can still smile, after all that?" May shook her head.

"You look cute when you bite your lip," Ash stated matter-of-factly.

May pointed at the door. "I think you should go now."

Ash agreed and left.

_two days later_

Drew had brought May out to Slateport Market to buy accessories for their Pokemon for the Grand Festival. They had brought their Water-types and swimming costumes so that they could swim at the beach later on.

May bought a few ribbons and seals for her Pokemon while Drew purchased a tuxedo for Roserade. They went to nearby toilets to change into their swimwear. They then made their way to Route 109.

They chose a quiet, peaceful spot away from the boisterous toddlers and nosy parents. May took out a picnic mat and laid it across the sandy ground. Drew opened a beach umbrella and fixed it into the sand. He then sent out Roserade and the rest of his Pokemon while May sent out a few of hers as well.

"May?" Drew asked after they sat down. The Pokemon went out to frolic in the shallow waters, with Absol and Munchlax playing with the sand.

May's heart pounded in her chest. What if Drew was going to ask her about Ash?

"You're not wearing the bikini you wore the other time."

May internally heaved a sigh of relief.

"I know."

"You still look good anyway."

May feigned a giggle. "I know."

"The rose I gave you is probably still in the gym."

"I know."

Drew lunged forward and kissed May so fiercely that she couldn't help but pull away.

"I love you."

"I…know." She felt a hotness creeping up her cheeks again. She still loved Drew, much more than anything she felt or had felt for Ash. She knew she had to come clean someday, but she thought this wasn't the time, with Drew so worked up with jealously. But the more she stalled, the worse she felt about lying evading.

"So? You're going to leave me hanging like this again?"

"I… I don't know what to say, Drew. What do you want me to say?"

"Oh, something along the lines of 'I love you' and then hug me and kiss me and tell me everything's going to be fine? Because I know it won't. Something is bothering you. Ash did something to you, I can tell. I won't let any stranger ruin this for us again."

"Ash isn't any stranger."

"See, you're standing up for him."

"I'm not! He's a very good friend of mine."

"Am I a 'very good friend' of yours too?"

"Of course not! You're my boyfriend!"

"Then good! Maybe you can tell me about what happened, now?"

May gasped. How could he have known? She was sure he had already left; she had heard the voices of Brock and Drew chatting, slowly fading away to the background. "How did you know?"

"It doesn't matter. Just tell me. I deserve to know."

May was still obdurate about keeping quiet. It was awkward enough to think of the whole episode, and Drew here wanted her to recount it to someone she loved so fiercely, so wholeheartedly. "No."

"Then I don't deserve to be your boyfriend here, if we can't maintain that level of trust." Drew looked into May's baby blue eyes. May glanced away.

– What if I told him now? May thought. Maybe he'll forgive me.

But telling him would be so embarrassing, May thought pertinaciously. I don't want to think about it.

"I'm sorry. I am very, wholeheartedly sorry. I"

"Like you said to Harley'Sorry' doesn't change anything. What's done is done. Well, I'm sorry for doing this, but I can't trust you anymore." Drew grabbed his shirt and put it on. He closed the umbrella and retrieved Roserade's tuxedo. He withdrew all of his Pokemon and then looked at May.

"I'm sorry, too, May. Sorry for ever loving you."

He then walked away.

Implacable tears sprang to May's eyes. She withdrew her own Pokemon, not wanting them to see the state she was in now. Her cheeks felt heated and her stomach was doing somersaults inside. Worst of all, her heart felt like stone.

Her lips trembled to form a vibrato"I love you too, Drew."

_one day later_

"May, what is this?" Norman held up the familiar rose in front of May and demanded in a furious voice. His brows were arched in utmost anger and a little disappointment.

May stiffened. It was the rose that Drew had given to her while she was training in the gym. She had efficiently gotten rid of everything that reminded her of Drew, and in her strenuous training now, she didn't need another reminder of him. Memories of how Drew insisted he couldn't trust her floated up before her eyes. She blinked them away.

"A rose?" she suggested.

"Obviously," he retorted. "But what was it doing in the middle of my gym?"

"How would I know," May replied quite rudely.

"I hadn't even noticed it until your lovely friend Ash asked for another battle. And there it was! Right in my battlefield! Imagine, all the other challengers might have seen that rose, and how embarrassing it would have been! I know it's you because you're the only person other than myself who's stepped into the gym alone. Don't tell me you don't know how you had it because I know whose habit it is to give you roses."

May felt as if her cheeks were given the parilla torture.

"It isn't viable to have boyfriends, May," Norman admonished, "especially in the middle of a competition period. I can see how distracted you always are at training." He droned on and on about how Ash and Brock served as even worse disruptions to her schedules.

It wasn't that Norman had not rebuked May before. Ever since the Pokemon League sent an official down to warn Norman about his wavering standards of battling, he had held May and Max in a much more pressurizing light.

He only wanted the best for both their careers, especially the obstinate May, who chose a career of coordinating instead of battling. He did not want his children to be embarrassed as he had been.

However, this time around, May was not indignant about being scolded. She was as embarrassed as she would be if she had farted in the middle of a contest match. It was horrible to listen to her father drone on and on about relationships and boys.

"I am disappointed in you, May," Norman continued. "I never knew you would behave like this."

May never knew she could behave like this either cheating on Drew with a friend who was already attached and then breaking his heart. Drew might feel so embittered but May was burdened with guilt, regret and heartbreak.

May could only hope this torture would end soon.

_two weeks later _

Outside the holding room before the Grand Festival, May sat with shivering palms and cold feet. She looked dazzling with her signature Arabic princess costume, and the sparkling emerald on her forehead.

She knew she had to have a hundred percent of her focus on the contest, but she just could not shake thoughts of Drew off from her mind. How great a kisser he was. How he always hugged her and held her hand. His roses. How he had said he couldn't trust her.

– Well, May, she growled inwardly, the only boys who trust you now are Blaziken and Squirtle.

"Just do your best, alright, May?" Norman said while patting his daughter on the back. Silently May nodded; she had nothing else to say. She thought Norman would say something along the lines of "stop thinking about your two ex-boyfriends because they will never come back."

Caroline, May's mother, smiled and started combing May's hair in a neater fashion. "Don't worry, you'll win again like you did the last time."

Max gave her the thumbs up, and hugged her enthusiastically. "I still remember the fantastic battle you had with Ash. Even though you lost, you still put up a beautiful display. I know you can do it, May!"

Oh. Ash. And other things she wanted to forget.

The person-in-charge called out for May to enter the holding room. She bade farewell to her family. Holding herself in a posture radiating confidence, she stepped into the holding room.

To her surpise, Solidad and Harley were sitting together at a sofa, talking. Solidad spotted May and invited her over. Harley awkwardly cleared his throat and scooted further away from May.

Drew had yet to arrive.

Vivian Meridian announced the start of the Grand Festival and invited the previous winner, May, to the stage. She was up against a boy called Reily. As he took the stage, she saw his bright green hair, styled up like Drew's, and a Roselia in front of him. Fortunately, he didn't seem to have Drew's cocky composture, or she might die.

Brock, Max, Ash and her parents were seated together amongst the audience. Norman was pleasant in keeping a straight face being seated next to Ash. Brock and Max were waving a banner with May's face and block letters that screamed, "Go May!" Ash looked wary.

– I hope he's regretful for what he's done to us, May thought sullenly.

May sent out her Glaceon, who somersaulted into the air with snowflakes glistening all around. Vivian announced the start of the battle.

Reily sent his Roselia packing towards Glaceon with a Sludge Bomb bubbling out from her mouth. Roselia then dove through the sludge and used Magical Leaf.

Glaceon, startled, glanced back at May.

"Use Mirror Coat!" May demanded. "And then Ice Shard!"

There was a familiar hoot of approval.

She couldn't see her opponent or his Pokemon. She couldn't see her Glaceon. She couldn't see the crowd of audience, and neither could she hear their cheers of approval. She couldn't see the battlefield; they all faded from sight.

All she could see was Drew from the competitor's stand, looking at her, beautiful lips pursed into a smile.

And she knew she could.


End file.
